What is a suntan?

The skin is a wonderfully flexible and sensitive material. It protects the whole body from physical damage, attacks from micro-organisms and damage from the sun. When the skin turns dark or "tans" it does so by increasing its production of Melanin. Melanin is the skin’s natural defence against exposure to the sun’s harmful rays of ultra violet radiation. Both UVA and UVB can cause damage but generally it is UVA which ages and UVB which burns.

Damage done by sunburn

When our skin burns it dries and can peel leaving new fresh skin which is more susceptible to burning and damage. As the years pass, the tanning from previous years accumulates and can lead to damage to the skin, the worst of which is malignant melanoma or cancer of the skin.

Who is at risk?

Some people are likely to be more at risk than others. Children are the most at risk. Children under 6 months old should be kept out of direct sunlight altogether and all children should be protected, whether they have fair or "olive" skin. The most vulnerable group of adults are those with fair or red hair, blue eyes and freckles. But it should be remembered that all skin types are sensitive to sunburn.

Staying safe in the sun

As we go about our daily business it is almost impossible to stay out of the sun. When we go holiday we don’t really want to stay out of the sun. So by following a few simple steps we can all enjoy the sun, but at the same time, respect its strength.

• Stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day. This will be 11.00 am to 3.00 pm in the U.K.
• Always use an appropriate sunscreen for your skin type and apply to exposed areas. Remember to re-apply the sunscreen frequently, especially after swimming and even when sitting in the shade as sand and swimming pool surrounds can reflect sunlight.
• Cover-up. Wear a long sleeved cotton shirt and a hat.
• Strong sunlight can damage eyes, so wear sunglasses which offer full UV protection.